Drilling operations have become increasingly expensive as the need to drill deeper, in harsher environments, and through more difficult materials have become reality. Additionally, testing and evaluation of completed and partially finished well bores has become commonplace, such as to increase well production and return on investment.
In working with deeper and more complex wellbores, it becomes more likely that tools, tool strings, and/or other downhole apparatus may become stuck within the bore. In addition to the potential to damage equipment in trying to retrieve it, the construction and/or operation of the well must generally stop while tools are fished from the bore. The fishing operations themselves may also damage the wellbore and/or the downhole apparatus.
Furthermore, downhole tools are regularly subjected to high temperatures, temperature changes, high pressures, and the other rigors of the downhole environment. Consequently, internal components of the downhole tools may be subjected to repeated stresses that may compromise reliability.